What's Not: Doesn't work with many tablets, takes a long time to recharge the battery pack.

Reviewed by Tong Zhang

Last year we reviewed the mophie juice pack powerstation for iPhone and iPad, it was quite popular with our smartphone and tablet users. This year, mophie came out with an even beefier battery pack and made it water and dust resistance. The Mophie Juice Pack Powerstation PRO is a 6000 mAh that has up to 2.1amp output. It also has water and dust resistant exterior and enclosures that allow the battery to qualify for IP65 rugged rating. The Mophie Juice Pack Powerstation PRO comes with a USB charging cable and you can recharge the battery pack via either high power USB computer or an AC adapter.

Design

The Mophie Juice Pack Powerstation PRO is a lot thicker than the Mophie Juice Pack Powerstation. The battery pack measures 2.28 x 4.09 x 0.53 inches and weighs 7.8 ounces. The metal front plate and the dust and waterproof rubber enclosure give the Juice Pack Powerstation PRO a military and outdoorsy look. While the materials are waterproof and the two charging ports have covers, the battery is rated IP65, which means water and dust insistent, not waterproof. You can use the battery pack outside while raining or on a boat where it might get splashed, but you can't submerge it in water because the port covers aren't waterproof. The battery pack is very easy to clean after a day in a dusty or even muddy outdoor use.

The Juice Pack Powerstation PRO has a microUSB power in and a full USB power out ports on the bottom under the rubber covers. It comes with an USB/microUSB charging cable for you to charge the battery pack. It also has a power button that you can use to turn on the battery and check the power level. Four small LED lights live on the front plate near the bottom, and they indicate the battery level and recharging status.

Features

The mophie Juice Pack Powerstation PRO has a 6000 mAh rechargeable battery with maximum of 2.1 Amp output. In theory, the battery can charge smartphones, media players, cameras as well as tablets. While the battery works marvelously with smartphones and small gadgets, it only really works with the iPad when it comes to 10" tablets. We tested it with several tablets, and found that the Juice Pack Powerstation PRO worked the best with the iPad 2 and the new iPad 3rd gen. It didn't work with most 10" Android tablets including the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, the Acer Iconia Tab A510 nor the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime, as the output amp level was too low for these tablets.

If you are looking for extra battery for your smartphones however, the Juice Pack Powerstation PRO is a dream external battery thanks to its high amp power and that 6000 mAh capacity. It can easily charge the iPhone 4S more than 3 times from zero power to 100% full power, and can do it within 1.5 hours. Other smartphone users with non-user replaceable battery devices will also find this external battery handy. We tried the battery with several phones, and found it charging quickly and providing extra power for both end of the day top-up and for a long trip. Charging the large iPad, the Juice Pack Powerstation PRO was also quick, taking less than 2 hours dumping a full charge to the new iPad 3rd gen in our test and gave it about 25% more power.

You can charge the mophie Juice Pack Powerstation PRO with your computer or using an AC charger with USB connector. While the battery pack charges other devices quickly, it takes a long time to charge itself regardless how you recharge it. It may take up to 5 hours to charge the battery pack from zero power level to full. And since you can't use it while it's recharging itself (no power pass through), it's a good idea to charge it overnight.

Conclusion

Whether you need some extra power while out in the field or on a long trip, the mophie Juice Pack Powerstation PRO is a great companion for your smartphones and gadgets. The 6000 mAh battery can give you phone 2-3 full charges and it's small enough to carry with you anywhere. The IP65 will attract fieldworkers, active outdoor types, military and other professionals who need something that can take some bumps and splashes. While the battery is ideal for smartphones, it's not too useful for large tablets with its lower amp output power. It also takes a while to recharge.